Booze bill booted at sponsor’s request

Robert Arrington, liquor manager for the Safeway store at 181 W. Mineral Ave. in Littleton, stocks shelves with bottles of wine. Grocery chains are allowed to designate just one store to sell full-strength beer, wine and liquor. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post

The legislature today once again refused to allow beer, wine and liquor from grocery store shelves.

Meanwhile, the fate of a ballot initiative with a similar aim remains unclear, with powerhouse supporters of expanding booze sales still deciding whether to throw their full weight behind it.

Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, told a House committee that she didn’t have the votes to carry on with House Bill 1279, which would have allowed supermarkets to purchase the liquor licenses of neighboring liquor stores.

She asked the committee to kill the bill she’s been negotiating for months, and said she thinks voters are likely to get a chance to vote on the issue this fall.

“I worked very diligently to make a compromise on this bill,” McFadyen said. “Undoubtedly, this will end up on the ballot. There will be millions spent between both sides, because we couldn’t reach a compromise here.”

A bill to allow full-strength beer sales in convenience stores died in the same committee earlier this year.

Colorado Licensed Beverage Association president Jeanne McEvoy said she’s not worried about an initiative this fall.

“We’re tan, rested and ready,” McEvoy said. “I don’t get the feeling they’re going (with the initiative). There’s no public support for it.”

Even without an initiative, the issue will almost certainly come up again.

The Fair Markets Coalition, a group of supermarkets and shoppers, was impressed that both HB 1279 and the convenience store bill progressed as far as they have, said spokeswoman Diane Mulligan.

In previous legislative sessions, similar proposals died in their first committees.

“We think things were moving in the right direction this year; we’ll definitely be back next year,” Mulligan said. “We need to take stock of where we are (in relation to the ballot initiative). We believe this is a very important issue when it comes to fairness in the marketplace.”

I wish there was somewhere to get more information on their reasoning. I can’t even think of 1 reason why alcohol shouldn’t be sold anywhere you can buy anything to put in your mouth.

Just8n

Why is it that a few select grocery stores seem to be immune from the ban? For example, the Target in Glendale sells full-strength beer, wine and liquor.

vaildog

Reading comprehension FAIL. From the captined picture “Grocery chains are allowed to designate just one store to sell full-strength beer, wine and liquor.”

Stosh

The Target in Glendale is the one exception, they were required to have a pharmacy and it's only the store in CO that is allowed to have a liquor license. I love that store and shop there often. Have a nice day.

Coloradan_by_Choice

Is this ridiculous scenario ever to be resolved? There has to be some SOUND reason why this isn't opened up across the board. The legislature's inability to correct this issue is beyond comprehension. People must be getting paid off to refuse to fix this. I guess they're all too busy finding fees to raise and opportunities to expand gambling in the state.

Bill Kindel

HB1279 had the odd twist of allowing supermarkets to buy the licenses of neighboring liquor store. To my mind, that's just bizarre! Better to do it all straight up or down, without discriminating for/against any of large supermarkets, small convenience stores, or liquor stores. Supermarkets and convenience stores in most states are allowed to sell (full strength) beer and wine, which I support. Adding distilled spirits to that mix should be a local decision.I haven't read the text of the proposed ballot initiative, but I'm likely to support it.

susan

because it would put the independent liquor stores out of business and the liquor lobby has a lot of pull.

mrfxx

As I understand it, ONE (1) store in each supermarket chain is allowed to have a full “liquor store”. For Safeway, it is the store at Broadway and Mineral; for Albertsons it is the store at University and Dry Creek (they were losing too much business to the Safeway – which is only about 2-3 miles away). I don't know about King Soopers -and I don't think I've even seen 3.2 beverages at Sunflower Market. Since those are the only supermarkets I use, I can't speak about the rest of them.Meanwhile – if the rest of the supermarket owners want access to a full liquor store, why don't they do as Albertsons previously did and include a flyer from the nearest liquor store (which contributed to the cost of the ad – a win/win for both stores)? Many supermarkets are in “strip malls” that also include a “mom and pop” liquor store – and if that one is too small for their liking are within 5-10 miles of one of the larger liquor stores. Heck – when there was still an Albertsons at Broadway and County Line, they even had a doorway put in between it and County Line Liquor for ease of customer shopping!

Chris

This might help shed some light on one of the arguments against full-strength beer & wine in grocery / convenience stores:By allowing convenience stores and grocery stores to sell full strength beer, HB1186 (the Convenience-Store Bill) and HB1279 (the Grocery-Store Bill) will dramatically change the Colorado beer landscape by allowing corporate store beer buyers to control the majority of shelf space decisions within these outlets. While it may sound convenient to purchase full strength brew in a grocery store, think of the vast decrease in selection you will have (small, independent, craft brewers will not be able to get their foot in the door of large chains and many may be forced to close their doors).

Coloradan_by_Choice

Interesting. Is this the result of lobbying efforts on the part of the various parties potentially involved or is it just simple minded politicians screwing the pooch in the manner in which they write the proposal?

Samster

I for one would support an initiative on the ballot, as would everyone I know. The statement that it would not have any support is completely and totally wrong. The only one against this are the ones with the government protected monopoly and the lobbyist who work for them.

The consumers want this change the same as they wanted the sunday sales! Stop lying about the reality and the truth in the matter, change this archaic protectionist law and lets finally move out of the 1920s and into the 21st century!

Rick

One other thing to remember, if you allow Safeway, King Soopers or Albertsons to sell liquor or full strength beer, who gets the profit from these sales? Out of state companies do…not all of the money stays in the state. At least with local liquor stores that money stays here. The same goes with the stimulant package, that was suppose to put people back to work and fix our highways, they are contracted out to out of state companies and our own workers right here in Colorado don’t get to crap, only out of state people.

Mark B

One very important thing should be in ANY ballot initiative that the voters might face on this issue. Just as it seems reasonable that liquor, wine and full strength beer should be available in grocery stores (I agree), snacks, milk, eggs and other food should be available in liquor stores! This happens all over the country in what are called PACKAGE STORES (expanded liquor stores). But the dirty secret in Colorado is that grocery stores want to sell liquor, while they want to CONTINUE THE BAN ON FOOD SALES IN LIQUOR STORES.That's right, it is currently illegal to sell food in liquor stores in Colorado. If we are to have a LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, we should remove both bans. THAT would be consumer choice. If an initiative written by grocery owners loosened the rules on liquor sales while sticking it to the liquor stores, I would NOT vote for that unbalanced rule change. Let's keep it fair!

Robert Gift

I would buy liquor at a grocery store just to save time and travel.Not willing to go out of my way to buy liquor, otherwise.Ridiculous that you can't by wine, especially, at a grocery store.

Lauraincabo

Folks, there is no sound reason for the ban. Liquor stores are a strong special interest lobby. They want to keep their monopoly power at the expense of the consumer. That's why we need a ballot initiative.Plenty of states have sales in supermarkets and convenience stores. Colorado laws are backwards in lots of areas. Mexico even permits sales in convenience stores and supermarkets. Government has no business regulating business freedom in this manner. I hope the new and improved legislature we'll have after November will go through every law on the books, and cull at least 50 percent of them.

GregR

As a person who does not drink and has never had the desire to feel what it is like to have a “buzz” or to be drunk, I find all of this hand-wringing a bit amusing.

sdr

People I think you are missing the most important point here. Its not about convienence, its about access and safety. Having kids have more access to liquor and beer just isn't smart. When kids go in liquor stores they are watched or asked to leave. In grocery stores, its normal for them. I don't want the easy access to cause more social problems. We dont let anyone sell perscription drugs for a reason. I am sure more kids would get into trouble if they have more access to booze.

GregoryR

As I Understand it there is a loop hople in the current law that allows one store with in a chain to sell full strength booze provided it has a pharmacy.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.